


The White Knight

by OnceEvilRegal



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Angst, F/F, Family, Femslash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-12
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2017-11-16 03:29:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceEvilRegal/pseuds/OnceEvilRegal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would season 1 have been like if Regina didn't remember being the Evil Queen? More importantly, might her relationship with Emma have progressed...differently? Season 1 rewrite. Eventual Swan Queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I will be loosely following the outline of season 1, especially in the beginning, but for the entire fic you can basically throw canon out the window. However, I'm not going to change the backstory of any of the characters (though I might add to it). Rated M because I will probably include more mature content as I go, and I don't want anyone to start reading and have to stop because they wanted something PG. For now it's pretty PG though. Will let you know when that changes.

Regina stepped inside, closing the door behind her, and quickly kicked off her heels. Normally she could wear them all day without even a twinge of discomfort, but she was tired from lack of sleep and her body was crying out for the homey comfort of PJs and slippers - not to mention a nice warm blanket. Pleasant summer breezes were now well and truly gone, replaced with icy gusts that carried the distinct smell of winter. Regina didn't mind the cold, but what she liked most about winter was the various ways of keeping the cold at bay: drinking hot chocolate or hot apple cider, cozying up by the fire, or just curling up under her thick winter comforter. She was most certainly _not_ looking forward to dragging herself out of her gloriously warm bed to face the cold morning air and scrape ice off of her windshield. Just as she did every winter, she considered adding that particular chore to her gardener's list - she hired him to clear her walkway of snow in the mornings during the winter months - but once again rejected the idea; she loved that car too much to have that oaf go anywhere near it with a blade.

Deciding a hot shower was in order to help her unwind, Regina slowly climbed the stairs to inform Henry that they would be having leftovers tonight. He would complain, as he always did when she opted not to prepare a fresh meal, but he always dug hungrily into his helping nonetheless. Her food was delicious, leftover or not.

Thinking of her son brought a mix of emotion that Regina was too exhausted to deal with. They had never been close, exactly - Henry was far too independent and free-spirited to be clinging to his mother - but they had a good relationship. They had their daily routine and their nighttime rituals, and they had certainly had glorious moments together which Regina cherished. Lately, though, something had changed drastically. Henry was distant, disobedient, and even cold towards his mother. At first she had attributed the change to him simply growing up, testing his boundaries with the authority figures in his life. Just recently she had discovered that Henry was the poster child of good manners in his classroom, during a brief parent-teacher conference with Miss Blanchard, and something about the discovery made her skin crawl. Just the thought of Henry smiling sweetly at that...that... _woman_ made Regina burn with fury, the source of which still eluded her. The only logical conclusion was jealousy: Regina was jealous of Miss Blanchard and the ease with which she bonded with Henry. That didn't really explain why she'd instantly disliked the woman the moment they met, but Regina tried not to dwell on that. It really didn't matter.

At the top of the stairs Regina headed towards Henry's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar but she knocked anyway. There was no answer, which wasn't unusual given the boy's recent addiction to blasting loud music through his headphones, so Regina carefully eased open the door. "Henry?" she called, a little impatiently. She quickly saw that the room was empty. In no mood to go searching for him, she leaned over the banister and called his name, which echoed in the massive foyer. There was no answer. "Not a good day for this, Henry," she muttered, making her way back down the stairs.

It took about ten minutes of searching for Regina to conclude that Henry wasn't anywhere in the house. He was far too old to be playing hide and seek, after all. Worry fuelled adrenaline began to flow now, making her heart race. She went into the backyard, still barefoot, and called his name again. She looked at her apple tree, where he sometimes perched to clear his head - and get away from his mother, Regina thought bitterly - but he wasn't there. Now she was scared. Back inside she picked up the phone and dialled the number for Doctor Hopper, Henry's therapist. He didn't have a session today but sometimes Henry dropped by to walk the doctor's dog when Regina was working late.

"Dr. Hopper," she heard the man answer.

"Doctor, this is Regina Mills."

"Ah, Madam Mayor. How are you this evening?"

"Is Henry with you?" she asked, in no mood for pleasantries.

"No, I haven't seen him today. Is everything alright?"

"Call me immediately if you see him. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes Madam Mayor, I will."

Regina hung up the phone, hands shaking. She was already worn down from a stressful day and this was too much. Anger and worry and terror were all rising, mixing together in a monstrous tidal wave threatening to sweep her away. She let out a scream of frustration, hurling the phone at the wall with all her strength, where it scattered in pieces across the floor. Fighting back tears, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed the familiar number of the sheriff's station.

"Sheriff Graham," he greeted.

"Graham, it's me," she said, voice no longer strong and short but quiet and shaky.

"Regina?" Graham's confusion was to be expected - she always called him on his personal phone, never the station line.

"Henry's missing," she said, steadying her voice. Graham may have seen her more... _vulnerable_ side, but she would not let him listen to her fall to pieces over the phone.

"I'll be right over. Just stay put and try to keep the phone free in case he calls." He hung up before Regina could respond. She looked over at the shattered hand held, momentarily horrified, before she remembered there was a base unit on the kitchen wall that still worked perfectly fine. She went into the kitchen to wait for Graham, her whole body trembling now. 'Please let him be alright,' she thought, resting her forehead against the cool marble countertop, tears pooling on its surface.

It took only a few short minutes for Graham to arrive, but it might as well have been a lifetime. When he stepped inside - he let himself in - he opened his arms to embrace Regina but she pushed him away, annoyed. "I called Doctor Hopper but he isn't there. I don't know where he could have gone."

"Have you called his friends?" Graham asked, wincing at the venomous look he got in response. The suggestion had been almost automatic, but Graham knew perfectly well that Henry had a difficult time making friends; Regina worried about it constantly. "Stay here in case he comes back. I'll go look for him."

Night had fallen when Graham finally returned, empty handed. Regina was a complete mess, no longer caring about her appearance or her dignity. She wouldn't admit it - couldn't say the words out loud - but the fact that she had no idea where he might have gone made her feel like a complete failure. She'd been racking her brain all night trying to think of where he might have gone, but she was no closer to finding an answer than she had been when Graham left. The only option she'd really considered was that he may have gone to Miss Blanchard's house. The thought made her sick, but the idea of calling Henry's teacher and admitting the boy was missing was too painful for words. She reasoned that if he were with Miss Blanchard, she would have called to inform Regina right away, though she continued to glance at the phone every so often wondering if her logic was truly sound. Graham, thankfully, saved her the trouble of making the phone call: he had visited Miss Blanchard and informed her that a child was missing, and asked if she'd seen a child roaming around town alone. Regina knew his discretion was simply due to her position as mayor and her need to keep up appearances in Storybrooke, but she was grateful nonetheless.

"You can't just let him stay out there alone all night!" Regina sobbed when Graham informed her that he would resume his search at first light.

"There's no point in searching in the dark. Henry's a smart boy; he'll find a safe place to spend the night."

"But what if he's hurt?!"

"We're still not going to find him in the dark. It's not cold, and it looks like the rain has stopped for-" Graham paused, straining to hear something. Regina swallowed a sob and listened, too. At first she heard nothing, and was about to say as much, but then she heard the unmistakable sound of a car door slamming. "Are you expecting company?"

Regina shook her head. She heard footsteps coming up the walkway and made her way over to the front door. She glanced through a small side window, saw the outline of a child, and wrenched open the door. "Henry? Henry!" Regina raced down the steps, throwing her arms out to wrap them tightly around her son. Part of her wanted to scream at him for terrifying her like that, but her relief was stronger in that moment. "Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?" She took in every inch of his appearance, assuring herself that he was indeed okay. She spared a glance for the woman standing next to her but barely registered her presence.

That is, until Henry shouted, "I found my real mom!" and raced into the house.

Now the woman had Regina's full attention. Eyes still red with tears, mascara smudged, she was too stunned to take in much about the woman before her besides a tacky red leather jacket and a lot of blonde hair. "You're Henry's birth mother?" she asked, incredulous.

"Hi," the blonde said, clearly feeling awkward.

Regina's first instinct was to grab the woman's arm and drag her forcefully back to her car, making loud, colourful threats along the way. Then she reminded herself that Henry most likely sought her out - which, she had to admit, really stung - meaning she was probably just as eager to leave as Regina was to see her go. She could handle a brief, cordial conversation before allowing the woman to disappear forever. "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?" she offered kindly, struggling not to grit her teeth.

"Got anything stronger?"

'Most definitely,' Regina thought, leading the way into her study.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma followed the woman - the _mayor_ \- into her house. It was more like a mansion, really. The foyer was more of an elaborate cavern, with a ceiling so high she'd have to strain her neck to see it. After a quick glance at her surroundings Emma returned her gaze to the woman in front of her, taking advantage of being behind her to take in as much as she could. Despite the mayor's obvious distress, leaving her slightly disheveled, she was clearly a powerful woman. A politician if ever there was one, Emma thought. Everything about her appearance was carefully controlled, sexy but still professional, and when she walked she carried herself with absolute confidence.

"Thank you for bringing my son home," the mayor said, turning so abruptly that Emma nearly walked right into her. She took a quick step back, startled at suddenly finding herself with zero personal space. The mayor didn't even blink.

"Y-yeah, you're uh...you're welcome," Emma stuttered.

"I'm Regina Mills." This was the point most people usually extended a hand to shake, or at least gave some gesture of greeting, but Regina remained perfectly still.

Emma nodded. "Emma Swan."

Regina nodded, as though accepting this as true, and turned to open the door behind her. She motioned for Emma to enter first into what she quickly saw was a study. Still feeling nervous and not entirely welcome, she stood awkwardly, waiting for Regina to enter. The mayor brushed past her, the scent of her perfume wafting into Emma's face as she passed. Emma took a deep breath, unable to stop herself. It was a light citrus scent - hardly what Emma expected from such a stern woman. She shook her head to clear the ridiculous thought, composing herself just in time for Regina to hand her a drink.

"How did he find me?" she asked, taking the drink.

"No idea. When I adopted him he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact."

"You were told right." Regina strolled to the couch and sat down. Emma followed her lead, taking the seat across from her. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be sitting down, having a chat with the adoptive mother of her...well, the kid she gave up.

"And the father?"

"There was one," Emma said with a shrug.

"Do I need to be worried about him?" She took a slow sip of her drink, eying Emma carefully over the rim.

"Nope. He doesn't even know."

"Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?"

Emma met Regina's gaze full on this time. She expected to see fear or concern in the woman's eyes, but instead she saw a fiery intensity that made her dark chocolate eyes almost black. "Absolutely not," Emma said carefully. She wanted it to be very clear that showing up here was NOT her idea and certainly not an experience she planned to repeat.

Regina nodded, accepting Emma's assurance. She seemed to relax at last. 'She's just worried about her kid. I guess I should be thankful for that,' Emma thought as she took a sip of her drink. It scorched her throat but she welcomed the sensation after the insane night she was having.

"I'm really sorry about all this," Emma said after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. At least Emma found it uncomfortable; Regina seemed completely unperturbed. At Emma's words she simply raised her eyebrows and lifted her chin slightly in a sort of politely curious expression. "Henry running away, tracking me down. I didn't even think that was possible."

Regina waved a hand dismissively. "I should be the one apologizing. I really don't know what's gotten into him."

"Kid's having a rough time. It happens." Emma took another sip of her drink.

"You have to understand; ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been...tricky." Regina looked down into her drink and Emma could practically see the guilt pouring from her hunched form like water from a tipped pitcher.

"You're single, I take it?" Emma asked. Regina lifted her head and nodded. Emma gave a sheepish look; she hadn't meant to offend Regina, but she wasn't much for sensitivity. "Being a single mom is tough. It's like having two full-time jobs and then some. I get that."

"I know I'm strict with him. Maybe...maybe too strict. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life." Regina took a sharp breath. "I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"

Emma could see she had stumbled onto a particularly sensitive topic for Regina. "I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing," Emma assured her, taking another drink.

"What fairy tale thing?"

"Oh you know, his book. How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket."

Regina blinked rapidly, dismayed. "I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about."

'Shit,' Emma thought. Here was this powerful, successful woman trying to hold herself together after what must have been the worst night of her life, sitting across from Emma like it was a fucking interview, trying to defend her parenting decisions to someone who had absolutely no business telling anyone how to raise a kid. Emma leaned forward, putting her drink on the table, and looked Regina straight in the eye. "It's none of my business. He's _your_ kid." This seemed to strike a chord with Regina. Emma nodded, reaching out to polish off her drink. "I really should be heading back."

"Of course," Regina said immediately. She was standing with the door open, waiting to show Emma out, before Emma could even get the glass to her lips. Feeling a little awkward, but deciding an abrupt end to the evening was probably for the best, Emma walked through the door. As she brushed past the mayor she caught another whiff of citrus and couldn't help taking a deep breath. "Have a good night, Miss Swan," Regina said as Emma reached out for the front door handle.

Emma gave a quick smile and a nod before stepping out into the chilly night air. As she made her way down the path she couldn't help glancing back at the monstrous house. She saw Henry disappear into his bedroom, flicking off the light. She stared up at the window for several minutes, feeling a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. Regina was hardly evil incarnate, as Henry apparently believed, but _something_ made the kid run away. Maybe it was just a 'phase' - she remembered hearing her social worker tell foster parent after foster parent that Emma was just going through a 'phase'. She seemed to live her life in a phase. Still, it was probably nothing to worry about. It really wasn't Emma's place anyway, she reminded herself.

As she continued to stare up at the house, her feet strangely unwilling to move, she saw another light flick on. This must be Regina's bedroom. Emma watched as the mayor walked over to what Emma could only assume was a vanity. She placed her hands on the surface and hung her head, and even from far below Emma could see the woman's whole body trembling with sobs. Emma's brow furrowed in concern, but what could she do? She reminded herself that just because she was seeing the family on a bad night didn't mean they weren't happy overall. It was that thought that finally gave her the strength to turn around and slide back into her yellow bug.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll be skipping ahead fairly quickly in certain spots because there are some things in the first couple episodes I don’t want to change, and I certainly don’t want to rewrite them here, lol. So if I skip anything, just assume it happened exactly as you saw it in the show.

Regina struggled to maintain her composure as she followed Emma - Henry’s _mother_ \- to the door. Her stomach was in knots and the drink in her hand wasn’t helping untangle them. All she could think was that she desperately wanted this woman out of her house, and out of her life, _now_. She knew it wasn’t Emma’s fault, that coming here hadn’t been her decision, but her arrival made Regina incredibly uneasy. There was something about her that made the back of Regina’s neck tingle, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. It didn’t matter; she just wanted the woman gone. When she finally said goodnight, and hopefully goodbye forever, Regina made her way slowly up the stairs, practically dragging herself up by the banister.

She noticed when she reached the second floor that Henry’s light was still on. She knocked quietly and felt her heart flutter when there was no response. The horror of the night washed over her again and she felt tears threatening to overwhelm her. She fought them back before easing open the door to find Henry standing at the window. She felt a vise tighten around her chest, and when she spoke her words came out much harsher than she had intended. She winced inwardly. “Henry, it’s time for bed.”

Without a word he let the curtain fall and climbed under the covers without even bothering to change into his pyjamas. “Goodnight,” he muttered miserably. Regina flicked off the light, unable to echo his words for fear of falling to pieces right in front of him.

Regina managed to make it to her bedroom and cross to her vanity before she finally lost it. Heavy sobs burst from her lips even as she tried to stifle them. As her whole body shook she pressed one hand hard against her mouth to ensure the sound would not reach Henry. She yanked the curtain closed violently, nearly pulling them down. She sucked in a deep breath, holding in her tears just long enough to strip off her confining dress and slide into bed, just as unconcerned about pyjamas as Henry had been. Grabbing her pillow, she wrapped her arms around it tightly, clutching it to her face, and let her sobs take over until they drained the last drop of her energy and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Regina woke the next morning feeling about as exhausted as if she’d already put in a full day at work. She groaned as she rolled out of bed, her whole body protesting the motion. For a moment she stared down at herself, dressed in nothing but her undergarments, and then she remembered how desperate she had been to simply curl up in bed. The previous night’s emotions came flooding back and she shuddered, but their impact was already beginning to fade. She couldn’t help feeling a hint of anger towards Henry for what he had put her through, and as she dressed she reminded herself not to let her anger influence how she spoke to him the morning. They would need to talk, of course, but allowing her anger free rein would only make matters worse between them.

Makeup on and looking fairly presentable given the brutal night she’d had, Regina padded downstairs in her bare feet; she’d left her favourite pair of heels in the front foyer. She gathered them and set them next to the door, then went into the kitchen to start breakfast. It didn’t escape her notice that Henry wasn’t downstairs yet, as he usually was on Wednesdays - pancake days - but she reasoned he probably needed his space now. ‘He’s avoiding me,’ she thought miserably, unable to banish the thought. She managed to silence her thoughts briefly as she cooked, but when she finished she was faced with the dilemma of how to approach Henry. Should she call him downstairs or take the pancakes up to his room? He might appreciate the gesture, but as it was something she normally only did when he was sick he was more likely to regard it with suspicion. He seemed to feel that way about every kind gesture she made lately. With a heavy sigh she arranged several pancakes on a plate and coated them in syrup, just the way he liked, grabbed some utensils, and headed back upstairs. She left the fruit on the counter, knowing he liked to eat them separately anyway and hoping it would give her an excuse to invite him into the kitchen. ‘This is pathetic,’ the treacherous voice in her head scolded.

“Henry?” she called softly as she approached his door. When there was no answer she balanced the plate on one hand and used the other to knock. Still no answer, she grabbed the handle and eased open the door. A quick visual sweep knocked the air out of her lungs.

*

“Graham? Graham, Henry’s run away again. Have you-”

Emma’s head snapped up when she heard the familiar voice. Her bright eyes met the dark eyes of the mayor, looking terrified and once again rimmed with smudge mascara. ‘Maybe invest in something waterproof?’ she thought, biting her cheek to hide a smile. It really wasn’t something to laugh about, after all. “He ran away _again_?”

“Have you seen him?” the mayor asked, advancing angrily.

“Lady, I haven’t seen him since I dropped him off with you. And in case you haven’t noticed, I have a pretty good alibi.” She threaded her arms through the bars of her cell, resting her chin on top of the cool metal. At the look of anguish in Regina’s eyes Emma sighed. “Have you called his friends?”

“He doesn’t really have any,” Regina said quietly. Emma could see the pain it was causing her to admit this. “He’s...kind of a loner.”

“Every kid has friends,” Emma said. The look in Regina’s eyes suggested that she didn’t believe this, so Emma didn’t push the subject. “Have you checked his computer? If he was close to someone he’d be e-mailing them.”

“And how do you know this?” Regina asked, eyes narrowed.

“Finding people’s what I do. Here’s a thought: you let me out of here and I’ll help you find him. Deal?” Emma held her hand out. Regina stared at the extended hand for a moment, then gave the barest nod and turned her back on Emma, instructing the Sheriff to set her free and bring her to the Mills house.

“Real people pleaser, that one,” Emma said as Graham pulled out his keys. Graham chuckled. “Is she this bad all the time?”

“No.”

“Yes,” Leroy said over Graham.

Graham sighed as he pulled open the door to Emma’s cell. “She’s used to getting her own way. She’s been mayor of this town as long as anyone can remember. But-”

“But underneath that spiky exterior beats the heart of an innocent little girl?” Leroy said sarcastically, batting his eyelashes.

“What did I tell you about behaving?” Graham said, pounding his fist against one of the cell bars as a warning. He looked into Emma’s eyes. “I know this is a terrible first impression, but Regina’s a _good_ mother. I hope you can believe that.”

Emma nodded, cheeks burning. What right did she have to judge? She followed the sheriff out of the station silently, and they didn’t speak the entire way to the mayor’s house.

*

Regina looked at the clock for the hundredth time. She had been pacing across the house for hours, growing increasingly agitated like a caged animal. Something about seeing Miss Blanchard had set her on edge, anger coursing through her, mingling with her fear and anxiety to create what felt like a thick, toxic sludge pumping through her veins. She had no idea why she had been so horrible to the woman; they’d hardly shared more than a few words with each other since first meeting each other, but Regina simply couldn’t control herself. Now she was home while that gad damn _bounty hunter_ was out tracking down _Regina’s_ son. She let out a few loud and colourful curses as she paced.

At last she heard the sound of the awful bug pulling up in front of the house and she quickly pulled herself together. The politician in her came to the surface, filling her whole being with poise and a confidence she didn’t actually feel. As she pulled open the door she watched - with a mixture of relief and what she could only identify as grief - Henry race past her . She stared after him for a moment until she heard his door slam shut, then turned to face the blonde. She managed a quick smile before it faltered. “Thank you,” she said, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets to ward of the chill in the air.

“No problem,” Emma replied quietly.

“He seemed to have taken quite a shine to you,” Regina said, struggling to keep her tone light. She could feel her mask starting to crack and panic began to rise inside of her.

Emma chuckled, unaware that she was even looking at a mask, let alone one that was about to shatter. “You know, it’s kinda crazy...yesterday was my birthday, and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself I actually...made a wish.” Regina raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up.”

“I hope there’s no misunderstanding here,” Regina said. She heard the emotion in Emma’s words, saw the light in her eyes, and Regina could feel something flexing inside her, about to snap. Even knowing it was coming there was nothing she could do to stop it.

“I’m sorry?” Emma said, taken aback.

“Don’t mistake all this as invitation back into his life.” Here, at last, was something Regina could handle. She might be losing control of everything else in her life, she might have no idea how to handle Henry, but _this_ she could take care of.

“Oh, I...”

“Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade while you’ve been,” Regina looked Emma up and down, “well who knows what you’ve been doing.” That stung and Regina could see it. “I’ve changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured _every_ tantrum. You may have given birth to him but he is _my_ son.”

“I was not-”

“No. You don’t get to speak. You don’t get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away.” Regina advanced on Emma, fury making the blood pound in her ears. “Do you know what a closed adoption is? It’s what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry and you’re going to be held to that.” Regina clung to the threat, trembling slightly, feeling hot tears stinging the backs of her eyes. Emma was staring at her, stunned and somewhat alarmed. Regina continued, “So I suggest you get in your car and you leave this town. Because if you don’t, I _will_ destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Miss Swan.”

Regina turned and marched back up the stairs, willing herself to hold it together just a little longer, just make it to the other side of the door. This woman had already seen her family fall apart, what more humiliation did Regina have to endure. “Regina?” a voice called. The mayor stopped, stunned that Emma had the nerve to speak to her again.

Regina spun to face the blonde, fury blazing in her eyes. “What?” she hissed.

But when their eyes met, something in Emma’s gaze tempered the mayor’s rage. They stared at each other for a long moment until finally Emma said, “I know you love him,” and she left without another word.

*  
As Emma made her way towards the edge of town she found herself inexplicably driving in circles. The radio cranked up, she reasoned she simply needed to clear her head, but when night well and truly fell she realized she needed to find a place to stay soon. Just as she came to that conclusion she drove past a quaint little B&B and decided staying in town might not be such a terrible idea. She told herself it was just for the night, but when she at last collapsed on the tiny, unbelievably comfortable bed she found herself bombarded with images of Henry’s gleeful smile as he convinced her to drive him home. And just as she was drifting off to sleep something odd drifted through her memory, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on before she was fully asleep: a faint scent of citrus.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This should be the last chapter of skipping, and after this I'll probably depart from canon altogether.

Regina stared down at the illustration, brow furrowed, odd, unidentifiable emotions welling inside her. Her eyes skimmed over the story that accompanied the picture and she felt a pang of sorrow. This couldn't possibly how her son saw her, could it? What had she done, what had gone horribly wrong in their relationship for Henry to see her as the Evil Queen? At the very least it explained why he had never discussed his fairy tale theory with her. Apparently eager for more punishment, she slowly flipped through the rest of the book, her mood sinking lower with each mention of this awful character. When she flipped the final page she looked down and realized that the last three pages were missing. Had Henry torn them out?

"Henry?" Regina called out a few minutes later. Rather than waiting for a response she entered his room to see him fixing the buttons on his shirt in the mirror. He met her eyes in the reflection. "Why are there pages missing from your book?"

"It's an old book. Stuff's missing. What do you care?"

"Henry," Regina reached out and grabbed Henry's arm. Not roughly, but could feel an internal struggle not to squeeze as tight as her muscles would allow and it scared her. "I know those pages were torn out, and recently. Did you tear them out? Is there something in them you're trying to hide?"

Henry rolled his eyes and wrenched his arm to free it from Regina's grasp. When she didn't let go he looked up at her, eyes wide, and his fear made her release him instantly. They stared at each other for a moment, Regina's mask hiding her inner turmoil, Henry's expression changing from one of alarm to one of anger and hatred. "I'm gonna be late for school," he said. With that he yanked his backpack off the bed and slung it over his shoulder as he ran out the door.

Regina waited, feeling numb, listening to his footsteps thundering down the stairs. When she heard the door slam her knees buckled and she sat there on the floor, in the middle of his room, tracing the raised lettering of the cover of his book. She might have stayed like that forever were it not for a very strange sound bringing her to her senses just minutes after Henry left: the chimes of the old clock tower. She couldn't explain why, but something deep in her gut seemed to twist at the sound, choking the breath from her for a moment.

***

Emma groaned as she stretched her arms high over her head. She carefully opened her eyes, blinking rapidly in the morning light now filtering through her window. It took her a moment to get her bearings in the unfamiliar, very floral room, but she quickly remembered where she was and why. She also realized what had awoken her: loud pounding on her room door. Eyes narrowed, she slid out from under the covers and crossed the room in a few quick strides. After a quick look through the peephole she rolled her eyes and yanked open the door. She didn't even flinch as a fist very nearly collided with her face. "Good morning, Madam Mayor."

Regina quickly withdrew her hand, though she seemed to do it somewhat reluctantly. "What are you doing here?"

"Um..." Emma looked down at her state of undress, then back up at the mayor - whom Emma couldn't help noticing was once again looking powerful and very much in charge. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

Regina shoved past Emma, banging the door shut behind her, and whirled to face the blonde. She clearly had zero concept of personal space. "Take my advice, Miss Swan: get back in that piece of yellow junk you call a car and leave this town."

"Your breath smells wonderful. Do I detect a hint of orange? What is it with you and citrus, anyway?" Emma said, tilting her head slightly as she smiled, unphased.

Regina blinked. 'Damn I'm good,' Emma thought. "Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan," Regina said, her tone low and menacing. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm taking a vacation in a quaint little seaside town, Madam Mayor. I hope this isn't how you treat all your tourists."

Regina scoffed. "You think I don't see what you're doing? Biding your time here until you can worm your way back into Henry's life?"

Now Emma's humour vanished. "Something made that kid run away, and if no one else in this town is gonna stand up and ask why then I will."

"Any problems Henry has are being taking care of," Regina snapped. At the look on Emma's face she instantly regretted speaking the words, but she wouldn't allow her mask to slip. She would not give this woman the satisfaction of seeing her slip. Again.

"What does that mean?" Emma said, looking shocked.

Regina drew herself up, though she felt more like she was deflating. "It means I have him in therapy."

"He's ten," Emma said flatly.

Regina threw up her hands. "Yes, Miss Swan, he's a ten year old boy who was abandoned at birth, has no father figure, and has trouble making friends. He needs someone to talk to."

"Maybe if his mother wasn't the town tyrant he'd have an easier time making friends."

Once again Emma found herself with zero personal space, but she was no longer face to face with the cool, unflinching mayor. The woman in front of her now was practically pulsing with fury, eyes blazing, breathing heavy. Emma took several steps back out of shock, but Regina mirrored her movements and she quickly ran out of space to retreat. She could feel the moisture of Regina's breath on her cheek.

Regina's mask was gone. She didn't care, couldn't care; all she wanted was to grab Emma by the throat and throw her out of town for good. But as she stood there, blood pounding, terror fuelling her anger and twisting it into pure rage, something clicked: Emma had said his mother. Emma had called Regina Henry's mother. No mention of 'my kid' or 'birth mother' or even 'adoptive parent'. Emma truly saw Regina as Henry's mother. Emma's kinship with Henry was certainly fuelling her decision to stay - of that there was no doubt - but perhaps the woman simply saw herself as trying to protect a child, pure and simple. She quickly stepped back, mask sliding back into place so fast it made Emma dizzy. "I expect you gone by this afternoon, Miss Swan, or I will show what a tyrant really looks like."

Shaken and frustrated, Regina went straight home after her encounter with Emma. She felt completely out of sorts, her emotions flying high, scattering in a thousand different directions. All of the turmoil of the last few days was making Regina feel like a dam had burst inside her and there was no patching it up. She kicked off her heels and raced up the stairs, nearly tripping in her skintight dress, and hastily closed the door. Thankful that Henry wasn't home she burst into tears, moaning and shaking, terrified and confused. Why was this hitting her so hard? She'd always known Henry's birth mother was out there somewhere. She'd always known he might be curious, might try to seek her out. And she'd always reassured herself that the law was on her side and no out would ever take Henry away. So then why was she being so thoroughly broken down by this woman, like a sugar cube in hot coffee? Regina could feel a deep ache inside of her, a deep need to make this woman GO AWAY.

Suddenly the phone rang and she jumped, banging her elbow painfully against the bedpost. Hissing in pain, she made her way over to the phone and, taking a moment to compose herself, answered it, "Mayor Mills."

"Regina, it's Graham."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. "Graham...I told you not to call me here."

"I know, but I thought you'd wanna know that Henry just left with that blonde woman. Is that something we should be worrying about?"

"We don't need to worry about anything, Graham. She's leaving town." Regina hung up without waiting for a reply. She stared at the phone for a minute, mind racing, trying to calm herself. A few minutes later she was dialing the phone without even having made a conscious decision.

"Dr. Hopper," a voice answered.

"Hello, Doctor. This is Mayor Mills," she said, feeling oddly detached.

"Ah, hello Madam Mayor. How's Henry?"

"Fine. Listen, I need you to do me a favour."

"O-of course." He failed to hide his surprise.

"Miss Swan is going to be visiting your office at some point today. I want you to give her Henry's file." Regina searched her memory and realized that this was in fact a very real possibility. The fact that this plan had come to her so quickly, so naturally, was unnerving.

"You want...but Madam Mayor, those files are confidential."

"I am Henry's mother, Doctor. His legal guardian, and I want you to give his file to Miss Swan. Am I making myself clear?"

"Y-yes."

"Good. One more thing, doctor..."

***

Regina stared down at the contents of her glass, nearly drained. She could practically see Emma Swan's face in the amber liquid, face framed by bars. She felt hot guilt twisting her gut. Had she really strong-armed Dr. Hopper into framing an innocent woman? Granted, the Storybrooke jail was hardly the worst place to spend a night. Hell, it probably wasn't even the worst place in town to spend a night. Still, she was innocent. Not only of stealing, but even of coming into Storybrooke. It had been Henry who brought her here. Regina could understand her fear, her fear of losing Henry, something she had lived with since the first day she held him in her arms. But why was she so angry? Why was she filled with such hatred towards this woman she didn't even know? She was rough around the edges - the woman answered the door in her underwear for god's sake - but that hardly warranted Regina's hatred. It was Miss Blanchard all over again, but this time Regina suspected it would be much more difficult to avoid the target of her rage.

Regina glanced at the phone, fingernails drumming against her glass. Perhaps she had acted too rashly. Perhaps a bit of rational action would put things right, maybe ease the tension so Regina could finally relax. But just as she reached out to pick up the phone, she heard a noise outside. She sprang to her feet, looking down from her window, and the sight in her yard made her blood boil.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina screamed, racing across the lawn as fast as her dress and heels would allow. She was breathing heavily, eyes wide, unable to believe what she was seeing. Was this woman seriously on her lawn with a chainsaw?

"Picking apples," Emma said, flashing a cocky grin.

"You're out of your mind!" Regina yelled, incredulous.

"No, you are. You think some shoddy frame job is gonna send me skittering outta town with my tail between my legs? Think again." Emma tossed the chainsaw down at the base of the tree.

"There is nothing here for you, Miss Swan. Why don't you just do us both a favour and leave?" It was meant to sound threatening but Regina found her tone transforming into one of genuine curiosity. Why was she so determined to stick around?

"Gee, I dunno, maybe because some crazy woman is so determined to throw me out of town that she sent me to jail. What exactly are you hiding around here, Madam Mayor?"

This is my happy ending.

Regina gave her head a sharp shake, eyes squeezed shut. She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, trying to ease the sudden twinge of pain. "I don't care what your intentions are with Henry." She dropped her hand to meet Emma's gaze again. "You not only gave up your right to be his mother, you gave up your right to be in his life. Period. He is my son and I will not have you hanging around her confusing him. If the threat of a criminal record isn't enough to convince you, fine. I'll file a restraining order. It's up to you, Miss Swan. Of your own free will or by force, you will leave this town."

"You're-"

"No!" Regina cut her off, closing the gap between them. "No, Miss Swan. Clearly I haven't made my point yet so let me clarify it for you: come between me and my son, and I swear to the Gods I will kill you." With that she turned and went back inside, not even bothering to see whether or not Emma was leaving.

"The Gods?" Emma muttered, grabbing the chainsaw before making her way out of the garden.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has literally been years since I updated this fic, but OUaT has really grabbed my interest again lately and my passion for writing has returned, so hopefully this story can find an audience again. My love of Swan Queen is also at an all-time high right now, way more intense than it was when I started this fic, and I have a lot more back story to work with, so I'm REALLY excited about this fic.

Regina was just about to head home when the phone in her office rang. "Mayor Mills," she answered.

"Regina, it's Emma. Swan." The surname was tacked on, an unnecessary afterthought. Regina hardly needed a name at all; just the sound of that woman's voice made her skin crawl.

"What do you want?" Regina said, hoping Emma could hear the sneer in her voice.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot."

Regina scoffed. "Well my apple tree would certainly agree."

"Look, can we just talk? Without all the huffing and puffing and 'I'll blow you out of this town'?" Her voice dropped an octave at those last words. Regina rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Come by my office and we can talk here while Henry's at his session with Dr. Hopper."

"Uh-uh. Somewhere neutral. How soon can you be at Granny's Diner?"

Regina mulled it over. Considered hanging up, or at least refusing to bend to the blonde's demands. But ignoring her wasn't going to make her leave. "Meet me there in an hour."

Emma was already sitting at a booth when Regina walked in. She looked up, smiled when she saw Regina. What did she think they were doing, having a tea party? Regina wanted nothing more than to slap the smile right off Emma's face, but she maintained her composure. She did not, however, smile back.

"I see it's you who gave Henry his love of cinnamon. Wonderful."

"Henry likes cinnamon on his hot chocolate?" Emma perked up at the information. Like some happy mutt hearing the word 'treat'.

"Yes. He also likes the colour green and Spiderman comics and my four cheese lasagna. Trivial things, but every parent really ought to know them."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Gimme a break. I get it, alright? You're his mother, you raised him, you know what he likes and doesn't like."

"Good. So you can see that he's doing just fine without you."

"I wouldn't exactly call what I've seen over the past few days 'fine'. He ran away twice, he thinks everyone in this town is a fairytale character, he's in therapy." Emma leaned forward. "He thinks you don't love him. So all this posturing you're doing? I think you're trying to prove your point to the wrong person."

Regina drew in a deep breath, jaw clenching. How dare this woman swoop into town after ten years of who the hell knows what and try to give Regina parenting advice! "You-"

"Wait." Emma held up her hand and Regina glared at her. "Don't you want to know why?"

"Why what?" Regina asked.

"Why he thinks you don't love him. Why he thinks everyone's a cartoon. Why," she sighed, "Why he thinks you're an evil queen."

"Of course I want to know why," she snapped.

"Well? Maybe I can find out."

"You think I'm that desperate? We don't need your help."

Emma leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table and resting her head on them. It made her next words come out muffled. "For crying out loud, woman." She lifted her head. "I'm not interested in taking Henry away. I told you that. So what are you so god damn worried about? He knows who I am, where I live; he came and found me, not the other way around. Do you really think running me out of town and filing a restraining order is going to make him forget about me? Do you think that's going to solve anything in your relationship?"

At last Regina felt her anger deflate. She was right. Henry would never forgive Regina for getting rid of Emma. He expected her to be the magical answer to all his problems. "What exactly are you suggesting, then?"

"I dunno. It's not like I have a step-by-step plan here. But he thinks I can fix things here, so maybe he'll open up to me. Maybe I can figure out why he feels this way."

"You think you're more qualified than Dr. Hopper to analyze Henry's feelings?"

"No," Emma replied, ignoring Regina's sarcasm. "But Henry thinks I'm the saviour and I'm here to break some curse, and I'm not leaving until he accepts that life isn't a fairytale and I'm sure as hell no one's saviour."

Regina blinked. "He wants you to what?"

Emma blushed. "Break a curse. He thinks…"

"Yes…?"

"Well he thinks you cursed all the fairytale characters. That you brought them here so they wouldn't have any more happy endings, because you hate Snow White."

"I read some of his storybook," she said, tone flat. It was killing her, knowing that Henry thought of her as that awful witch from his book.

Emma smiled, pity all over her face. Regina was disgusted. Even more disgusting was the idea that this complete stranger was supposed to be the hero of the story. Supposed to defeat the evil queen. Defeat Regina. "He's created this fantasy for himself and he's not just going to give it up. Just…give me some time with him."

"You have no legal right to him," Regina said, but her words had lost their edge. She just needed to hear them. She needed Emma to hear them.

"I know. Believe me, I know what I chose and why I chose it, and I stand by that. But I can't help it. He got into my head and I want to make sure he's ok. I can't leave until I'm sure."

Regina bowed her head, lacing her fingers together on the table. "Fine. You can walk him to and from school, then. And you can have an hour with him on Saturdays and Sundays. But no more." She looked up, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, silently.

Emma nodded. "Deal. I'll be by tomorrow morning."

"Wonderful," Regina drawled, rolling her eyes. Emma smiled her happy mutt smile and bounded off with a spring in her step. Regina pushed herself up from her seat and left the diner feeling stiff and exhausted.

***

"She's really going to let you spend time with Henry? I'm impressed." Mary Margaret had given Emma an open invitation to her loft if she wanted to talk about anything, so Emma headed there after her meeting with Regina. She needed to hear more about Regina from someone who didn't think she was an evil queen bent on destroying Snow White's happy ending. Who better to talk to than Snow White herself?

"It's not like she had much choice. The kid's not just going to give up on the idea of proving his fairytales are real."

I guess I'm just amazed you stood up to her." She smiled.

"Is she really that bad? Why does everyone in this town seem so terrified of her? I know she's mayor now, but at some point everyone chose to elect her. What made her so scary before she had all that power?"

Mary Margaret tilted her head, brow furrowed. "I'm not sure." She gave her head a sharp shake. "It's like I said before, Regina's been mayor of this town as long as I can remember. And it's not all bad, really. She's good at her job, she keeps everything in order, keeps everything quiet and peaceful and safe."

"Well yeah, because everyone's too scared to cross her." Emma leaned forward in her chair. "Do you think Regina's a good mother?"

Mary Margaret's eyes widened. "Deciding if someone's a good parent or not isn't an easy thing."

"But you're Henry's teacher. You'd know better than anyone."

"I know Henry's been unhappy for a long time. But I also know he has trouble making friends at school, and every kid needs more than just their parents to support and guide them but all Henry's ever had is Regina because she scares everyone else away. She's…possessive of Henry. You being here, as much as I believe it could be really good for him, it must be Regina's worst nightmare."

"She's squeezing the life out of the kid."

"Something like that. She's hardly the first parent to be guilty of that. And he's hardly the first kid to rebel, to resent being smothered and controlled. Things aren't perfect, and I am glad you're here…"

"But Regina's not a bad parent."

Mary Margaret shook her head. "I don't think so. Henry's a great kid, you know. Well behaved, kind, honest, incredibly bright. You don't have to worry so much about him."

"Do you think I'm making things worse here? With him and Regina?"

"No," Mary Margaret said, shaking her head, placing her hand on top of Emma's. "No. You were right, leaving now would only make Henry resent Regina even more. He needs you."

Emma wasn't so sure anymore. She certainly put on a good show for Regina – she had to with that woman – but Emma was in way over her head and she knew it. She didn't know anything about Regina, about her life with Henry, hell she barely knew anything about Henry.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," Mary Margaret said, seeing the expression on Emma's face.

"No, it's fine. I'm the one who asked."

***

"You're early," Regina said, opening the door with a scowl on her face.

"And good morning to you, Madam Mayor." Emma slipped past Regina and into the front foyer.

"Henry's not ready yet. Feel free to wait out in the fresh air." Regina motioned towards the still open door.

"Subtle. I think you'll survive my presence for ten minutes." She stuck her hands into her back pockets.

Regina swung the door closed. "Last time I thought you were only here for a few minutes I wound up with you sticking your nose into my life for over a week. And still no end in sight!"

"I'm doing my best, alright?" Emma took a step closer, lowering her voice. "He's pretty convinced those stories are true. He's not just going to snap out of it."

"I can't believe I let you worm your way into his life. This isn't helping him, all it's doing is driving him further away from me and into your arms instead!"

Regina spun on her heel, her back to Emma, but not before Emma saw the tears spring to her eyes. "Regina, maybe we should talk to him together."

"Emma!" Henry thundered down the stairs and plowed into Emma, arms wrapped around her waist. "You're early! Hold on, I gotta go get my backpack." And he raced back up the stairs.

"Have a nice day, Miss Swan." Regina disappeared into the sitting room before Henry returned. Emma felt the familiar knot of guilt in her stomach.


	6. Chapter 6

Emma knocked on the front door of Regina's house, running through her prepared words again as she waited. She was trying to anticipate what Regina would say, but it was impossible. When there was no answer after a minute Emma knocked again, louder. Several minutes later Emma was pounding on the door and there was still no sign of movement in the house. Emma backed up partway down the walk, surveying the house's windows. They were all dark and still.

"What the hell?" Emma murmured. She took out her cell and dialed both Regina's house phone and work phone, but she didn't answer either. She knew the mayor had a cell but Regina had never offered the number and Emma hadn't asked. Emma tried calling Dr. Hopper's office, even though it was Saturday morning and she didn't expect him to be at work. Sure enough, there was no answer. Emma called the only cell phone number she did have.

"Hello?"

"Mary Margaret, it's Emma. Do you know where Regina and Henry are?"

"Oh god. Didn't anyone tell you?"

Emma felt the breath whoosh out of her lungs. "What happened?" she gasped.

"There was a cave-in at the mines. Henry went in and now he's trapped. I'm heading over there now. Do you-"

Emma hung up and rushed over to her car. She started it up and only when she peeled away from the house did she realize she had no idea where the mines were. She screeched to a halt and pulled her cell phone out again. "Mary Margaret? How the hell do I get to the mines?"

It took less than ten minutes for Emma to get there with Mary Margaret's directions, but it was plenty enough time for Emma to have moved past her worry and reach fury by the time she parked. She slid down the slope and into the pit where firefighters and construction workers were already gathered. She spotted Regina and stormed straight over to her, hearing the blood pounding in her ears.

"What the hell is your problem? He gets trapped in a fucking mine and you don't even think-"

But Regina turned around and Emma's jaw snapped shut. In her mind's eye she'd imagined Regina with her arms crossed, smirking about being the only one there trying to rescue her son, condemning Emma for not even knowing what had happened.

Well, Regina's arms weren't cross; they were wrapped around her liked she was trying to hold herself together. The make-up on her eyes, probably from the day before, was nearly washed off by tears and what was left was just a dark smudge. She wasn't crying, but she had been recently and she looked beside herself with worry. "Well? Go ahead. Get it all out. Don't let any of us deprive you of the chance to let everyone know how you feel, what you want."

How nice of her to make it easier to be angry. "Don't you dare try to make me out to be some selfish monster because I want to know when my son is in danger!"

"His is not your son he's MINE!"

"Hey hey! Cut it out, you two!" Graham put an arm between the two woman. "This isn't helping Henry."

"What the hell happened?" Emma said, worry starting to take over again.

"We're not sure. The mine just collapsed. I'm surprised you didn't feel anything. I got dozens of calls from people asking about an earthquake."

"What about Henry? What was he doing here?"

Regina bowed her head, one hand rubbing against her upper arm. "Henry overheard me talking on the phone. I-I thought he was asleep." Regina's voice was steady but a tear slid down her cheek.

"It's not your fault, Regina," Graham said, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"He said it was because of you," she said, voice deep and accusatory. "He said you were changing things here, that it was part of you breaking the curse. When I said it was just an accident and now this would finally get the town to support me filling everything in and paving it, he said I was trying to hide something. What the hell could I possibly be hiding in some old mine? How the hell does any of this make sense to him?"

"I-I-I don't know," Emma stammered, because Regina seemed to be awaiting an answer.

"Isn't that what you're supposed to be here to do? Figure out why he believes all this nonsense? Convince him that it's not true?"

"Maybe if you were doing a better job convincing him you love him he wouldn't have yelled at you and run off to a collapsed mine just to prove you wrong!"

Regina inhaled sharply. Emma opened her mouth to speak but Regina cut her off. "Unless you have some idea how to rescue Henry I suggest you shut up and wait over there."

But Emma didn't move. She kicked at the dirt for a minute, then looked at Regina again. The mayor was glaring daggers at her. "We're not helping Henry, being at each others' throats like this. Call it a truce?"

Regina didn't move and for a second Emma feared she was going to dismiss Emma, or fly into a rage. Instead, she nodded. "The entrance collapsed. We have no idea how deep he might have gone into the tunnels."

"How do you know he even went in there?" As satisfying as it was to picture Henry walking to the mines with Regina simply watching him go, Emma knew it couldn't be farther from the truth. Regina was the exact opposite of negligent.

"He left a note on his pillow, and the emergency crew found small footprints leading into the main tunnel but none leading out."

"There has to be an airshaft somewhere, right? We could get in through there."

"The crew hasn't found anything yet," Regina said, shaking her head. She was rubbing her upper arm again; an unconscious sign of stress.

"Why don't you search the city records, see if there are any blueprints there?" Emma suggested.

"It would take ages to sift through that much paperwork. I'm not even sure when this mine was built. It's been abandoned as long as I can remember."

Emma looked over at Graham, who wasn't listening to them but seemed glued to Regina's side. "We'll just have to search the area, then. Sherriff? Why don't we set up a search grid, get everyone combing the area. The airshaft is probably boarded up and buried."

"You sound awfully confident." Regina was clearly trying to infuse the words with her usual snark, but they came out shaky and full of restrained hope.

"Finding people's what I do. This isn't exactly a typical case, but I still have a few handy tricks." She smiled, and Regina returned it. Emma turned back to Graham. "Alright, come on, help me set up a grid."

It took a little time to get everyone fanned out and organized, and Emma thought they all looked pretty ridiculous shuffling around and stomping the earth, but their efforts paid off in no time. The air shaft was buried under a thick sheet of wood, and closed off by a heavy metal grate. A tow truck made quick work of that, and they were left staring down the dark hole.

"Now what?" Regina said, frowning as she leaned over to look down into the blackness.

"Now we lower somebody down," Graham replied.

"I'll go," Regina said quickly.

"Uh-uh, I'll go," Emma countered.

"He's my son."

Emma sighed. "He's my son, too. And you've been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I can do this."

Regina paused. She stepped forward and suddenly Emma's personal space was gone. Regina's voice was quiet; Emma doubted even Graham could hear it. "Just bring him back to me."

Emma managed somewhat of a smile, though she was a little surprised by the gesture. And there it was again, that damn citrus scent. It reminded Emma of something and it made her thoughts snag for a minute.

Brushing aside the unimportant thoughts, Emma walked over to the emergency crew members waiting at the air shaft and let them hook her into a harness. They clipped her to the small crane they'd brought in, and a minute later she was descending into the mine with nothing but a flashlight. It was a lousy time to remember that she was afraid of the dark.

It didn't take long for Emma to reach the bottom, she knew, but being suspended from an uncomfortable harness, in a confined space, in the dark made it seem like a pretty damn long trip. She let out a shaky sigh of relief when her feet finally touched the ground and she unhooked her harness. She looked around with her flashlight but saw nothing.

She took a minute to orient herself – she'd been careful not to let herself twist in a different direction on the way down – and set off towards the entrance. It wasn't far and it was the only place she could guarantee Henry had been. Before she even got there she spotted a few footprints in the dirt, and headed in the direction they were pointed. The silence was starting to press in on her and her breath was coming out short and ragged. Her heart was pounding. Dammit, why hadn't she let Regina do this? There was no way someone that foul could be afraid of the dark. Emma chuckled to herself, glad of the distraction.

"Henry?" Emma called out quietly. She had no idea how much sound might affect the unstable foundation and she wasn't eager to test it.

There was no answer, but she thought she saw something at the end of the tunnel she was heading down. She sped up, rounded the corner, and saw a pale beam of light swinging back and forth up ahead. "Henry!" She hissed.

The light swung around and blinded her. She squeezed her eyes shut, shielding them with her free hand. "Emma?"

She lowered her hand, her night vision now diminished. "Henry! What the hel- heck are you doing down here? Do you know how dangerous this is?"

"Why, because I'm crazy?"

"No, because you're trapped in an unstable mine with no way out!" Emma's eyes narrowed. "I don't think you're crazy, Henry. Why would you think that?"

"My mom thinks I'm crazy," he muttered, kicking at a rock and sending it flying into the wall. Emma winced as it struck a support beam.

"Careful with that!" She said, grabbing Henry's arms and kneeling down in front of him. "Your mom does not think you're crazy."

"Yes she does! I heard her tell Graham!"

"Is that why you came down here? Because she said you were crazy?"

"No one believes the curse is real. Even you don't believe it. I just thought if I could find proof, people would have to believe. And you would have to believe, and then you can break the curse and bring back everyone's happy endings."

"Including yours?" Emma tilted her head.

Henry nodded, tears in his eyes. "No one remembers anything. No one notices how time stands still, how there are no crickets here, how no one ever ages or changes at all. I'm the only one who sees it and I have to prove it to them."

"By coming into an old, unstable mine? Henry, there's nothing down here."

"But there is! Look at this!" He held out a thick piece of broken glass that had some sort of decorative pattern on it. "And I saw something shiny over there, but I can't get to it. Come on, I'll show you. Maybe you can reach it!"

Emma shook her head, holding his arms tight. "Henry, we can't. We have to get out of here before this whole place collapses."

"No, but if we just-"

"Henry! Please, I'm really scared for you right now, okay? This place. Is not. Safe."

"There's something down here, I know it," Henry said, but with less force.

"Look, you believe this curse is real, right?" He nodded. "And you believe it's my destiny to break it, right?" Another nod. "Then don't you think I'll break the curse one way or another, no matter what? You can't fight destiny, right?"

This at last broke through to Henry. He nodded, and handed Emma the broken shard. "Here. To help you believe." Emma pocketed the glass and took hold of his hand and they both hurried back to the air shaft. She hooked herself into the harness, lifted Henry into a tight hug, and told him to give the rope two tugs. He did, and they were lifted back up to the surface.

Between the bright sun and the loud cheers, Emma was completely disoriented as hands pulled her and Henry to safety. The first thing she saw was Regina, arms wrapped tightly around Henry. She walked over to them, eyes still squinted against the sunlight. "I'm really glad you're alright, kid. You had us all really worried."

Regina cleared her throat, letting Emma know she didn't appreciate her reunion being interrupted. Emma sighed and walked over to Graham, who was chatting with the diner waitress with the red streaks. Emma couldn't remember her name. "Glad to see the boy's alright," Graham said, clapping Emma on the shoulder.

"So am I," Regina said, making Emma jump. Regina rolled her eyes. "May I have a word with you, Miss Swan?"

"Uh, sure." They left Graham and the waitress and found a patch of shade where they would be out of earshot of everyone.

"Thank you," Regina said. Emma couldn't help smiling. It looked like the words were causing Regina actual physical pain.

"He's my son. I had to."

"Do you plan on taking Henry from me?" Regina blurted, barely letting Emma finished her sentence.

"What? No, I told you."

"Yes, you did. You said you knew why you chose a closed adoption and that you stood by those reasons, and yet here you are, nosing your way into Henry's life at every turn. This is not what you agreed to and it is certainly not what I agreed to."

"I-I-I-" Emma was at a loss. What could she possibly say? Regina was right about the adoption.

"Your presence here has done nothing but deepen Henry's ridiculous delusion and take him further away from me. I think it's time you left." Regina's jaw was tight. Her eyes were shining, but there was absolute fury in them.

"You can't just erase me. He's not just going to forget me. Regina," Emma took a deep breath. This was a conversation she'd been preparing for, but she wasn't prepared for it right now. "Why are you so threatened by me? By Henry having another parent in his life?"

"Because you are not Henry's parent you are the woman who threw him away! You didn't sing him to sleep at night, you didn't put band-aids on his scraped knees, you just waltzed into town and made yourself the damn hero of his delusions!" Regina's voice had been rising and now it cracked under the weight of her emotions. She turned her back to Emma, but Emma could still hear the mayor sniffling, trying to get her tears under control.

Emma kicked at the dirt while she waited for Regina to compose herself. When the mayor turned again her eyes were red, her cheeks still damp, but her cold mask had slid back into place. "I think I know something that might help."

Regina crossed her arms over her chest. "What?" She didn't sound too impressed, but at least she was listening.

Emma pulled the pieces of glass out of her pocket, turning it over in her hands as she spoke to steady her nerves. "I think we should sit down and talk to Henry. Together."

There was silence. Emma looked up, expected to see Regina rolling her eyes or gearing up for another tirade, but she had her eyes fixed on the glass in Emma's hand. "What is that?" she asked, voice soft and hollow. It sent a shiver down Emma's spine.

"Just a piece of old glass Henry found in the mine. He thought it was some sort of proof. Does it mean something to you?"

Regina blinked and shook her head, like someone waking from a daydream. "Of course not," she snapped. "If you want us to talk to Henry, fine. It can't possibly make things any worse. Tomorrow, when you bring him home from school."

She left Emma standing in the shade while she walked over to Henry and hurried him to her car. He looked over his shoulder and waved to Emma. She didn't wave back. Her stomach felt icy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't seen 4x05 you might miss something in this chapter, and you will definitely be confused later. There will also be spoilers from that episode and probably 4x10, depending on when that airs and how fast this fic progresses.

"See you tomorrow, Emma!" Henry called, bounding up the walkway towards Regina's front door. He was in high spirits after a good day at school, but he'd been pretty glum when Emma picked him up in the morning. Emma wasn't sure what Regina had said to him about going into the mine. She thought about saying something herself, but it felt too much like parenting. Emma might still be in Storybrooke, and she might have her doubts about Regina, but she knew she was no parent. Not really.

"Henry, wait up." Emma jogged up to the front door, where Henry stood frozen with his hand on the doorknob. "I'm coming in with you."

"How come?" Henry asked.

"Your mom and I talked."

Henry bowed his head. "Are you leaving?"

Emma put a hand on Henry's shoulder. "I don't know. I hope not. But the three of us need to talk. We need to figure out a way to make this work."

That put a smile back on Henry's face and he led the way into the house. The knot in Emma's stomach tightened as she followed Henry into the sitting room, which was empty. "Mom?" he yelled.

"Henry?" Regina peered around the door frame. She glanced up at the clock. "Is it 4 o'clock already?"

Emma glanced down to see Henry looking at Regina with wary confusion. Emma could sympathise. She didn't know Regina well, but Emma doubted this was a woman who just lost track of time, especially when the person she hated was due for a visit. Emma looked a little closer and saw that Regina was wearing far less make-up than normal and her eyes were glazed. She was also dressed much more casually than normal, just a black vest over a grey t-shirt and black pants. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail. She looked ten years younger. She also looked high.

"Yeah. We were going to talk to Henry together, remember?"

"Of course I remember," Regina said. Amazing how fast she snapped back to her usual self, Emma thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Regina sat down in the armchair farthest from the door. Emma put a hand on Henry's shoulder and steered him to a spot on the couch near Regina, and Emma sat next to him, careful to put a bit of distance between them for Regina's benefit.

"Well, Miss Swan, this was your idea. Why don't you start?"

Emma took in a deep breath. Henry was staring at her expectantly. She cleared her throat. "Henry…"

That was as far as she could get. There was a lump in her throat that she couldn't clear.

Regina leaned forward, putting herself at Henry's eye level. "Henry, when Emma gave you up for adoption, she asked for something called a 'closed adoption'. Do you understand what that means?"

"It means you don't want her around," Henry said. The venom in his voice surprised Emma. She still didn't understand what had gone so catastrophically wrong between him and Regina to cause such animosity.

Regina maintained her composure in spite of what must have been very hurtful behaviour. "No, Henry, it means she didn't want to be around. She didn't want to be part of your life, and she didn't want you to be able to find her. She meant for you to have your own life, with a new family, and not be confused by her presence. I understand why you wanted to find her, but when you brought her here you violated the rules of your adoption."

"Is that true?" Henry asked, turning to Emma. "You don't want to be around me?"

"No," Emma said, tilting her head with a look at Regina that said she didn't approve of Regina's phrasing. "Kid, it isn't that I don't want to be here, now. What your mom's trying to say is that when I gave you up, I wanted you to have your own life without me around messing it up."

"But you're here now, and you're not messing anything up. You're changing things here!"

Behind Henry Regina shook her head and gave dramatic roll of her eyes. Emma switched tactics. "Can I ask you - why is it so important to you that this curse thing is real?"

"Because it is real. Everyone here is frozen in time, with no memory of who they really are. You have to remind them who they are."

"I'm no saviour, kid," Emma said, shaking her head.

"But…you have to! It's your destiny! You're going to bring back the happy endings!"

"Enough!" Regina said. "What exactly is it that's so miserable about this town? What is going so wrong in your life that you actually believe that I'm some evil witch?"

Henry was staring at Regina, eyes wide, mouth open. Emma was a little wary, too. There was a sort of manic look in Regina's eye and Emma strongly suspected Regina had never actually come out and directly asked Henry for an explanation. Emma was curious what the answer was. "Well?" Regina said.

"You don't love me. You just pretend to love me, but you can't love anybody. You killed your own father to cast the curse!"

Regina looked up at Emma. Emma shrugged, eyes wide. What the hell were they supposed to say to that? Regina was speechless, looking on the verge of tears, and Henry was staring at the floor with bright red cheeks. Neither of them was in a position to say anything. That left Emma as the only option.

She slid off the couch and knelt down in front of Henry, hands on his knees. "Kid, I want to stay in Storybrooke. If you really want me to be part of your life, then I will be." Henry grinned, but Emma shook her head. "But I won't stay if I'm going to make your life worse. And being here, letting you think of me as a saviour who's going to change your life, is making things worse."

"No! You're weakening the curse, you're making things better! You can't leave! It's your destiny!"

Emma hung her head, tears stinging her eyes, throat thick. She took a minute, swallowed, looked back up at him. Desperate times… "Has Regina ever hit you?"

"What?" Regina sprang to her feet, but Emma ignored her. Henry glanced at her, but kept his eyes on Emma.

"Has Regina ever hit you? Harmed you in any way? Ignored you when you needed her, let you go hungry, locked you in your room? Kid, if she has ever done anything to harm you, I swear to god I will take you somewhere safe right now." Emma could practically feel the fury radiating from Regina. Henry opened his mouth, but Emma added, "Remember that superpower I told you about?"

And just as Emma suspected, Henry's mouth snapped shut. After a minute, Henry shook his head, and Emma didn't feel that familiar prickle in the back of her mind. She didn't like to talk about her strange sixth sense, but it never failed her and she never failed to take full advantage of it. It didn't surprise her that Henry had never been abused, just as Mary Margaret thought. What did surprise her was that for a moment Henry was going to tell an awful lie just to get away from her. She hoped Regina didn't realize what he'd been about to do.

That still left the same question burning in Emma's mind: what had Regina done to him to make him hate her? Resentment was one thing, but he really believed she was an Evil Queen willing to curse an entire world out of vengeance. And he believed she killed her own father, which was pretty damn disturbing. Where did all this come from?

"Yeah, I thought so," Emma said.

"She did cast the curse." He looked up at Regina. "I know it."

"Henry, you can go to your room now. We're done here."

"Is Emma staying?"

"Go to your room, Henry. Emma and I need to talk."

"But-"

"I'm not just going to disappear, kid. Listen to your mom."

Henry ran upstairs and slammed his bedroom door, leaving Emma and Regina alone. "So, uh…how about a drink?"

Regina sighed and walked over to the bottle of whisky that was still on the mantle from Emma's last 'visit'. Emma hadn't actually expected a drink, but she was grateful when Regina handed her a glass.

"I'm sorry," Emma said.

"About what, exactly?" Regina was still standing in front of the fireplace, her back to Emma. She took a sip of whisky.

"I didn't mean to spring that on you. I didn't really believe you hurt him, I just thought it might…you know, get through to him."

"And your superpower?"

Never in a million years would Emma have guessed that Regina would ask about her superpower. It was an odd and out of place question after everything that had just happened. "When he came to Boston, I told him I had a superpower for telling when people are lying. He fell for it then, I knew he'd fall for it again. Figured a kid who believes in fairytales is bound to believe in superpowers." The lie came smoothly. Emma was used to making excuses for her sudden certainty of someone's guilt or innocence.

"I think you should leave now, Miss Swan."

"What are you going to do?"

Regina turned, eyes narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean? What is it you're so worried I'm going to do, hmm?"

"I'm worried you're going to shut yourself away in your room and beat yourself up for everything that's happened."

Regina blinked. Her expression softened. "Oh," she said.

"I know I'm the last person you want around right now, I know I'm only making things worse, but I really think we can sort things out if we just…I dunno. Work together? Stop attacking each other?"

"Your presence here is what caused all of this in the first place and you want us to, what, braid each others' hair and have pillow fights? You're ruining my relationship with my son."

Emma shoved her free hand deep into her pocket, pushing her shoulder up. "Am I?"

Regina blinked back tears, turning her head away, but not before Emma saw the hurt on her face. "Being a mother may have been easy for you so far, Miss Swan, but raising a child is more than just swooping in and playing the hero."

"I'm not judging you, Regina. I just want to help. I want Henry to be okay."

Regina crossed her arms, rounding her shoulders like she was closing in on herself. There were a few tears running down her cheeks, though her voice was steady. "Is there any history of mental illness in your family? In his-…in the father's family?"

"I never knew my family. I don't think Neal did either. Do you really think there's something wrong with Henry? Regina, he's just imaginative. He's just using these fairytales to cope."

"He's convinced I murdered my own father. How is that supposed to help him cope with anything?"

"He's in therapy. You don't think the doctor would have figured out by now if it was something serious?"

"I don't know!" Regina threw up her hands, shaking her head. She let out a pained laugh. "I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know if playing into his fantasy is making things better or worse, I don't know how to convince him it's not real even if I could decide whether or not I should, I don't know anything anymore!"

Regina took a few deep breaths and blinked back her tears and Emma turned away, giving her a moment to compose herself. Appearing calm, cool, and collected was important to Regina; Emma had learned that pretty quick. When she turned back, Regina was just that.

"I think you should leave now, Miss Swan," Regina repeated.

Emma ignored her. "Are you alright?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Peachy. Now get out of my house."

"You seem a little off." Emma nodded to Regina's relaxed outfit and hair.

Regina's eyes fluttered closed. "What do I have to do to make you leave my home?"

"Tell me that you're going to blow off some steam. Take a hot bubble bath. Talk to someone. Get laid. Something."

"Your concern is…" it sounded like Regina was going to make some snide comment, but it trailed off and her expression changed. "Why do you care?" There was genuine confusion and curiosity on Regina's face. It was the most authentic she had ever been with Emma, outside of her love and worry for Henry.

It hit Emma, hard. That faint citrus scent. The think, dark hair. Deep brown eyes. It was hard to be sure, but Regina even looked like she might be Latina. Emma sucked in a sharp breath. "You remind me of someone."

"Oh?"

Emma nodded. "A friend. Someone I really cared about, a long time ago. I didn't even realize it until now, but-…I'm sorry. You're right. You're not her, and I should just leave you alone." She set down her glass and turned to leave.

"Swan, wait." Emma turned back, surprised. "What…do you do? To, uh, 'blow off steam'?"

Emma chuckled. "Drink."

Regina tilted her head and held up her glass of whisky.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Alcohol
> 
> Note: This chapter backtracks a bit, and then picks up after the cut to where chapter 7 left off.

Thud as the shovel hits the dirt. Crunch as it bites down. Swoosh and the dirt is airborn. It crackles as it touches down, but Regina doesn't hear it as she strikes at the ground once more. Over and over. The rhythm blurs time, blurs her thoughts, blurs the very air around her. She doesn't need to remember what she's doing or why, only that it's oh so important. Of the absolute, utmost importance.

Why?

Regina slows her pace. Yes, why?

She stops. She lets go of the shovel, but instead of falling it simply stands rooted in the dirt. She steps sideways to peer down into the hole. The hole she dug – she must have dug it herself, right? – and is now filling in. There isn't much to see after all her efforts. Whatever she is burying has now been covered by the dirt.

Not completely.

She squints, and there is a faint light shining just where she needs it, though she is sure she's deep underground. It glints off something. Regina drops to her knees, leaning over to see.

There.

Regina gasps. Glass. A small section of it is visible, baring intricate decoration like tree branches. It looks familiar. The memory is faint and distant, so distant that she might dismiss it as a dream if she weren't staring at something tangible now. It was maddening, like having a word on the tip of your tongue when you're trying to explain something important.

It's important. Of the absolute, utmost importance.

Regina slides down into the pit. She reaches down for the glass, but her fingers can find no edge, no way to pry it from the dirt. She brushes more earth away, and the glass grows. Soon she is digging, but there is no more rhythm, only frantic clawing.

The glass begins to take shape, long and rounded, a section of something much larger. Regina lets out a groan as she realizes that it is a coffin. An elaborate glass coffin. It is dark, but there is that tiny beam of light that tells her there is a figure inside. Regina works her way towards where the head must lay. Who would she ever lay to rest in a glass coffin? Why, if this person was so important, did they not rest alongside her father in the mausoleum?

Nearly there. She swipes and the last mound of earth and brushes the remaining dust from the glass to clear her view. The light shifts, brings the figure into view.

Regina screams.

***

Regina thrashed and twisted in blind panic, limbs bound, lungs heaving. She rolled and fell, landing with a heavy thud on the floor. She looked up, dream fog lifting, to see her bed now looming over her. The sheets, she realized, were tangled around her so tightly it was difficult to move. She lay there a minute, waiting for her breathing to slow. She had had a dream. A nightmare. It was slipping away as her fear ebbed, leaving her feeling drained. There was something about a coffin. And that piece of glass she had seen in Emma's hand.

What was that? She had seen it in Emma's hand. She'd brought it up from the mine after rescuing Henry. And it had stirred something in Regina, made something prickle in the back of her mind that she couldn't put her finger on. And now it was plaguing her in her dreams.

Regina sat up, leaning against the bed as she extricated herself from the sheets. They were damp with sweat, and she realized she was cold and her pajamas were drenched. She had never had such a fitful night sleep. The occasional odd dream, sure, and sleepless nights fussing over a sick child, but Regina always slept soundly and peacefully. Now she was shivering and every muscle in her body felt weak. She stayed on the floor for a long time, leaning against the bed with her eyes closed.

Eventually the cold won out, and Regina pulled herself back onto the bed. When she looked at the clock it was nearly 5 am. Her alarm would be going off in half an hour. She sighed, turned off the alarm, and went into the bathroom to take a hot shower.

Her muscles were fatigued and she trembled as she undressed and stepped into the running water. She grabbed her shampoo and body wash and sat down in the tub, legs crossed, letting the water strike her back until it felt numb. She sat there for nearly half an hour and never touched any of the soaps. She ran her hands through her soaked hair, splashed at the water pooling around her, and finally stood and turned the water off without having done much actual showering. Still, she felt better as she wrapped herself in her thick, warm towel.

Back in her bedroom, still damp and wrapped in her towel, Regina laid out a second towel on her bed and curled up on top of it, closing her eyes. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. What had that dream been about?

"Mom?"

Regina's eyes snapped open. She tilted her head up to see that it was nearly 7:30.

"Emma's gonna be here soon and I haven't had anything to eat."

"I'll be right out, Henry."

He thinks I'm the evil queen and yet he still expects me to make him breakfast. Shouldn't he be worried I'm going to poison his food? Regina gave a humourless laugh as she quickly pulled on a simple, casual outfit. A little too casual for work, but still passable, and all she really had time for. She would put on make-up once Henry was out the door. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, too pressed for time to bother styling it. She glanced in the mirror and thought she looked ready for a Sunday breakfast at Granny's with Henry, not a day of work at city hall. She sighed. It was too late to care.

***

"You're not even wearing eyeliner!" Emma said, squinting, her face close to Regina's.

"Who has time for that?"

"I always poke myself in the eye when I try."

"Well exactly."

"You look so weird today." Emma plucked at Regina's black vest.

Regina copied the motion, plucking the zipper of Emma's jacket. "You look weird every day. This thing is hideous."

"I like it!" Emma whined.

"I think you're drunk, Swan." Regina got up and walked towards the table to get them more whisky. She bumped into the coffee table and almost toppled over it.

"Well I know you're drunk."

"You told me to blow off steam."

"And you actually listened." Emma giggled, interrupted by a hiccup, which only made her laugh harder. Regina laughed, too, and collapsed back onto the couch without bothering with the whisky.

"Tell me about this girl I remind you of," Regina said when their laughter subsided. She was still grinning, though.

Emma shook her head. "No, no. It's a secret."

"Oh, come on. You already spilled the secret, the rest is just details."

"You're too drunk to be so logical."

Regina chuckled and leaned her head against the back of the couch. She had one leg up on the couch and the other on the floor so she could comfortably face Emma. The blonde sat in a mirrored position, and she copied Regina, leaning her head against the couch.

"Her name was Lily. She had dark hair and dark eyes like you. And she had this…lotion stuff that she stole from a store. She said it smelled like orange popsicles and reminded her of summer. Sometimes you smell like citrus."

"Shampoo."

"Ah."

They sat like that for a while, just staring at each other. Emma's eyes were so green. Had Regina ever noticed how green they were before? A sound from upstairs startled them and they both looked up. "Henry?" Emma said.

"Oh crap. He's probably getting hungry." Regina looked down at her watch for several long seconds before saying, "It's 5:30."

Regina pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed Graham. "Graham? It's Regina."

"Regina? It's a bit early for me to come over, isn't it?"

"That's not why I'm calling. I was hoping you could take Henry out for dinner. He's had a tough day and I'm too exhausted to make something."

"Oh. Uh, sure, I'd be happy to take him off your hands for a bit. I'll be there in fifteen."

Twenty minutes later Henry went zooming out the door, thrilled to be getting out of the house and even more thrilled to hear that Emma was still in Storybrooke and would be staying for the foreseeable future. Regina hadn't mentioned that Emma was also still in their house. Graham, to his credit, didn't comment on Regina's obvious dependency on the wall for stability.

"It's barely six o'clock and I'm drunk," Regina said, dropping onto the couch next to Emma.

"Whisky'll do that." Emma nodded.

"I haven't been drunk in ages."

Emma laughed. "Yeah, I can tell. Alcohol would have melted that stick up your butt."

"I don't have a stick up my butt, I have a thorn in my side!"

"Aw, come on, I deserve a little credit for helping you loosen up."

"Hmm."

"What's up with you, anyway? You're not really the ponytail type."

Regina reached up and slid the hair elastic off, releasing a cascade of messy hair over her face. "I slept in too late for anything else."

"Late night?" Emma lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"Nightmares."

"About what?" Regina gave her a warning look. "What? I told you about Lily. Come on."

"I don't remember. Just fragments. It's been bugging me all day."

Emma reached up and smoothed a strand of hair that was sticking up at an odd angle. Her hand slid down the smooth strands and paused against Regina's cheek. Regina closed her eyes and tilted her head, leaning into the touch. A shiver ran down her spine. "You've been worrying about Henry for a long time, huh?"

"His whole life."

Emma's hand fell. Regina opened her eyes. Emma was staring into the fire, eyes gleaming. "This is such a mess. What have I done?"

Regina sighed. "It was a mess before you got here."

"Do you really think he's sick? Is that possible?"

"Anything's possible. He had imaginary friends when he was younger, but this is different. He's convinced it's all real."

"I have a lot of contacts in Boston. I'm sure I could find a good child psychologist to talk to him."

"Ho no no, you are not taking Henry off to Boston."

"I never said I was going to take him anywhere, I'm just going to find a doctor to give you a second opinion."

"Huh. You think I should take him all the way to Boston?"

"It's only a couple hours from here. What, you've never been outside of Storybrooke?" Emma gave Regina a playful shove.

Regina's brain felt like it was stuffed with cotton again. Boston was much too far to drive to…wasn't it?

"We can take him together. Make the calls."

"I can't do it now, I'm still drunk."

"This is kind of nice," Regina said after a few minutes of silence.

"What, being drunk?"

Regina laughed. "Well yeah. But no. Sharing all this crap with someone. Like having a friend. It's nice."

"Oh, so you're a sentimental drunk."

"Apparently."

"You don't have other friends you can talk to?"

"No. Guess Henry gets that from me."

"Nah, I don't have any friends either. Nature and nurture, that boy was doomed from the get go."

They looked at each other, the humour suddenly turning to guilt and sadness. They sat in silence for a while until Emma finally got up and made her way to the kitchen. Regina heard dishes clinking and cupboards banging and Emma swearing. When she returned, she held two large glasses of water. She handed one to Regina and sat back down, nearly spilling hers. "I think I've had enough fun for one night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession time: I have never been drunk, and I've only been around drunk people a few times in my life and I didn't pay much attention, so Regina and Emma's behaviour is probably fairly inconsistent. I apologize. I did my best.


End file.
